Kanguva: A Failure in Every Sense

 

I never intended to watch "Kanguva", but curiosity about the widespread backlash pulled me in. Now that I have seen it, I completely understand the frustration. "Kanguva" is a film filled with potential but it fails spectacularly, delivering a product that feels incomplete and emotionally distant.

A Tight Yet Incomplete Narrative:

At first glance, the film’s duration does not seem problematic, it moves swiftly enough. But the real issue lies in its storytelling. The narrative feels fragmented and unpolished. There is no coherent link between the present and past, and the reincarnation element is dropped without explanation or purpose. It is as if the director attempted to cut a full film in half, leaving us with a mangled product that lacks a sense of closure. Instead of creating a well rounded first part, the film offers a half baked experience that ultimately leaves us hanging.

Shallow Characterization:

The biggest failure of "Kanguva" is its characters. Even Suriya, despite his undeniable talent, completely fails in handling the emotional weight of his character. His portrayal lacks the intensity required to make his role memorable. The same goes for the young boy and the villains, including Bobby Deol, who plays a villain so forgettable it is hard to believe he is meant to be a threat. None of the characters leave any impact. They scream, they fight, they vanish, but there is no depth to them, no emotional connection. Also Disha Patani’s role adds to the disappointment, as she is reduced to an objectified presence with no meaningful character arc. This shows the contrast in film’s attempt to celebrate women’s bravery in another sequence, exposing its lack of focus and sensitivity.

Poor Sound Design:

The sound design in "Kanguva" is unbearably harsh. The constant yelling and the relentless, shrill background score are exhausting. There is no variation in the sound levels, and the overall experience is one of overwhelming noise. The rare moments of silence come as a relief, an indication of just how intrusive the sound design is. Instead of enhancing the experience, it actively detracts from it, making it difficult to engage with the film.

Unpleasant Visuals and CGI:

While some might argue that the film’s scale and grandeur are worth praising, the visuals fall short in every aspect. The CGI-heavy sequences are unconvincing, lacking the polish needed to make them believable. The over the top color grading only adds to the discomfort, making the entire visual experience straining rather than immersive. Instead of transporting the audience into a fantastical world, it feels artificial and painfully overworked, draining us and the enjoyment. 

Missed Opportunities:

"Kanguva" set out to be a grand spectacle, but it could not even deliver on its own promises. The plot is incomplete, the characters are underdeveloped, and the technical aspects are all over the place, from the sound design to the visuals. This is not a case of a few missteps, this is a film that misses the mark on almost every front.  

This is not about comparing "Kanguva" to other films, it is about the wasted potential of what it could have been. A tightly narrative, fully written characters, and more careful attention to technical details could have made this film a standout. Instead we are left with a cacophony of noise, visual clutter and a narrative that goes nowhere.  

The film promised so much but delivered so little, resulting in a sense of disappointment and confusion. It is an example that a grand scale does not automatically translate to a great film. "Kanguva" could have been something special, but it ends up as a forgettable disaster.